Drinking outdoors yet! Of course you are! Don your summer whites and pour one of these great glasses to match. Mira Franc Blanc: One of the great things about wine is how vast a subject it is and how many grapes and winemaking styles there are. I love Cab Franc but had never had a white … Continue reading
My dad loves Pinot best, and it’s always a great gift. Here are few based on what style your dad (and of course you since you’ll be sharing it) likes. Dark red fruit: Humboldt County is near the Oregon border and, compared to other California winemaking regions, the shorter days and cooler climate produce some wonderfully balanced Pinots. … Continue reading
Marika Vida used to spotlight excellent female winemakers with these great dinners when she was the wine director at the Ritz, and she’s now doing a SOMM Series to continue the tradition. And what a revival last week, with an all-Taittinger dinner with Vitalie Taittinger, who recently took over as President of her family’s Champagne … Continue reading
I haven’t had many wines from Switzerland, and with good reason: The whole country only produces about 150 million bottles a year (for context, Mondavi and Yellowtail produce about as much each). Out of that, only about 2% is exported outside of Switzerland, and mostly to nearby Germany. Made at high altitudes, Alpine wines are crisp … Continue reading
A great spring dinner is lemony chicken piccata with an equally citrusy Sauvignon Blanc. The zest in Matanzas Creek’s Sonoma County SB ($25) is balanced by some lovely white floral notes. Perfect for Earth Day, as Matanzas Creek is certified sustainable and has fields of lavender that attract all kinds of pollinators and insects. Want to be the first to … Continue reading
All the flowers are inspiring, but the temperatures aren’t quite ready for us to have rosés or whites all the time. Pop the corks on some light reds that fit the in-between bill. Varvaglione Primitivo 12 e Mezzo: Could there be a more springlike label? Luckily the wine is just as vibrant, bursting with red currants … Continue reading
And now for a few non-wine gifts (yes, they exist). Chill out with this Veuve Clicquot wine mini-fridge, designed by smeg in honor of the Champagne’s 250th anniversary. So chic, and a great way to keep your bubbly all together. $4000 This wine advent calendar will be sure to get you through any holiday stress. You get 24 mini bottles and … Continue reading
It’s that time of year when everyone starts asking me what wine to get for all the people they need to give a gift to—friend, family, boss, doorman. Here are some excellent suggestions, all under $100. Reds: Two reds that taste like they’re twice the price. White: Try expanding someone’s wine world with a fantastic white. Sparkling: A … Continue reading
As with all wines, the land the vines grow in is critical to how the wines turn out. So I recently went hiking with Austrian Wines in honor of the eight Styrian Wine Trails that lead hikers through the vineyards, hills and thermal spas in the region. Sadly, we were just in upstate New York instead … Continue reading
It’s time again for that mishmash of holiday foods all on one table. I always drink American, so here are some basic styles that will be able to flex across all your flavors. Starting with bubbles, try Domaine Carneros Late Disgorged Brut ($58). Aged for six years on the lees in the bottle, it has a bit more complexity and … Continue reading
